Graced
by Cannibal Cabbage
Summary: I know there are a lot of these... Edward left Bella in New Moon, & she's pregnant. What happens when the Volturi interfere with her life? Will she be killed, or changed? Andwhat about her daughter & the Cullens? Stephenie Meyer owns ALL. R&R, Thankyou, x
1. Chapter 1

Oh God. Oh no. Not this, not another pain, another problem. I stared at Charlie, looking at him for the first time in weeks. He looked stressed, agitated, and now, annoyed. He was holding a neat, elegant envelope in his hands, looking at in confusion every few seconds, and looking up at me in expectantly. "What is this? Who is it from?" He asked.

"I-I don't... I need to..."I didn't finish my response; instead I reached for the envelope. I didn't get mail. Especially not like _this_. Who could it...? I didn't open it immediately, as I caught sight of the sender's address. Italy. _Italy?_ I didn't know anyone from Italy... My mind worked quickly, and my hands suddenly froze, midway through tearing the envelope open. This was exactly what I had been afraid of. Ever since... _then, _I had been reading up on some people in Italy. They were very hard to find out any information about, and none of it was accurate. You can't exactly type 'Volturi' into Google and find out about an ancient vampire family. And this was it; they were coming to get me.

_**Dear Bella Swan,**_

_**Unfortunately, your situation has come into our view, and though we regret what has happened to you, we do have some news. As you know –hopefully!- the secret we share has been wrongfully given to you. Not that we don't trust you my dear, it's just, with the latest developments we feel it shall be very difficult for you to keep our secret, and now yours too. I hope you already know what choice a mere mortal has when they know our secret, and yes, the same applies to you. We will have you come down to Volterra, to clear things up, yes?**_

**You have one month. We greatly hope you survive that long, if you don't, you will have ruined us all. Don't think a trip to the castle means you survive.**

_**Do forgive my brother, Caius. One month now Bella!**_

_**Lots of love, Aro, Caius & Marcus, Respectively The Volturi.**_

Ugh, so they knew. Was there anyone who didn't? Yes, there were lots of people who didn't know... Charlie, Jacob, the human and werewolf population, and....the_ Cullens_. "Bella? What is the letter about?" Charlie asked softly. Oh, no. What would I do about him? _'Hey Dad, you know how I've been suicidal for a while? Yeah, well I'm over that now. I'm going to Italy to meet up with strict, _homicidal _vampires so they can sort out my vampire baby and vampire ex-boyfriend situation. Might die, see ya.' _ Perhaps not...

I opened my mouth to say 'junk mail,' when my daily routine started early. There it was, that regular sickness feeling. It came at least five times a day, though I was normally only actually sick once every day. Yes, it was abnormal, yes, I was going to die. What did it matter to me? The only ones to suffer would be some vampires. Especially the Cullens, when Charlie found out... I smiled sadly through the pain at the image of the Cullens; every scene I could see Charlie hidden in the corner with a gun, or some other weapon. I don't think he will look after her, once I'm gone. In fact, everything in that sentence I know to be true. Charlie won't care for some vampire child; not even if I asked him to. I knew it was a she; we could communicate. Not in the normal way, not with words, but more with feelings, ideas, images. I already knew that we wouldn't connect in a mother-daughter kind of way, even if I was going to survive. If this was a normal pregnancy, a normal birth, and I stayed alive, I'd be that kind of depressed mother who is certain the child isn't theirs, simply because she feels no motherly connection toward them. And I _knew_ I wouldn't survive. There was no way I could. Pain this intense could only build up to something bad... Plus, I was a mere mortal human, trying to support a vampire child. It was like me, trying to carry Emmett up a hill, all the time.

Though I only found out a few days ago, it was only a matter of time before Charlie would find out. At the rate it had been growing, no more baggy jumpers would cover it. It was only a while till Jacob would call, or visit, and he'd be more intuitive than Charlie, what with the extra senses. I couldn't get help from any of them. But now, with the Volturi in the picture, I don't know if they were a plus or not. They could help me, make sure she survives, look after her. And no matter what, they would give me a choice, join them or die. And I didn't particularly want to live. Not with _Edward _gone. Not without my best friend. Not without my humanity.

I realized then that I still hadn't answered Charlie. "Junk mail." I sighed, putting the letter back into the envelope. Ironically, I got a paper cut. This was the catalyst to them leaving, and I smiled sadistically at the crimson blood that trickled from the tiny slice. Oh, yuck. It actually looked delicious. I couldn't help myself. As soon as the tiny amount of blood was gone, the sickness disappeared. What was I now? Cannibal? Vampire? No, not cannibal, technically it was only blood. Not vampire either, but the little thing inside me was. I picked the letter back up, and realized there was a number to call. I would need to use that, soon.

"Are you sure? You seem pretty interested in it." He mused. Then, his voice turned sharp, "It's not from any of those Cullens, is it?"

"No," I said in a deadened voice. I wouldn't be able to bear it if it was. He would have been able to tell. "I feel sick, I'm going to bed," I told him, getting up and walking away, envelope in hand. He didn't respond. In my old, simple room, I could just lose the facade. I was going insane with everything that was going on. Though I didn't care about my own life, I cared about plenty of other things. I cared about my daughter, though I didn't feel motherly. Maybe it was just because I would never truly be with her, though I still cared. Why would I give up my life for her otherwise? I cared about pain; I'm not a masochist, so if I'm dying, I hope this pain business stops soon. Charlie. I hoped that whatever would happen to me wouldn't affect him too badly. And Jacob. Everyone else I cared for.

I worried a lot about the Cullens. Would they get in trouble for my knowledge? Would Edward be in trouble about my – our, really- daughter?

I was pregnant. With _Edward Cullen's_ daughter. Edward Cullen, the wonderful, beautiful vampire who didn't want anything to do with me. In a few minutes time, I was going to call the Volturi, an elite group of vampires to come and get me sometime in the next month. They were possibly going to kill me, my daughter, and both the Cullens and my father. I was in severe pain every hour, going to be found out any day now by my police cop father who would just _love_ a vampire baby, considering how much he liked the father. My best friend was a werewolf, sworn enemy of vampires.

I was in a good situation, right?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It had only been two days since I got the terrifying yet liberating letter from the Volturi. Already I was hiding from Charlie –in my room, still- and dying. I had planned to call them about coming to get me, but the stupid phone had broken. Charlie was going to get it fixed, or get a new one, but since my state was worse than ever, I was stuck in my room. I managed to pass it off as a bug, the flu or something like that, but that excuse would only work for so long. It explained the throwing up – which was now at least five times a day, the sick feeling was constant- the chill of my skin and why I'd become so weak, but I really needed the telephone, before Charlie found me dead, _and_ pregnant with a vampire child. It was that day, two days after the letter when Charlie found some things out.

He was at work beforehand, and I was making my way downstairs – another thing the flu got me out of, school- such a difficult task, most days I _wanted _to fall and end it all. As usual, I quickly checked the phone, hopes already low. Then, I made my regular trip to be sick. All the human food I'd managed to eat. The baby didn't want _human_ food. But the food it _did _want was impossible for me to get, without killing Charlie or hijacking a hospital or bloodbank. So naturally, _I_ had to supply it's vampiric needs. Draining and weakening myself. Disgusting, I know, but it seemed like nothing then.

Normally, whenever I was downstairs, I would remember things. Just little things from the past, normally about the Cullens. I could always visualize them, from my memories, like when Edward or Alice were here, I could see them. It used to hurt to think of them, but not anymore, really. I was going to be a mother, or more than likely die, and I had to grow up first. Crying like they might feel sorry for me would do nothing now. Today would be the change of that. Returning from the bathroom, I looked around at all the familiar places where someone had been, now just ghosts of my memory. That was when the horrifying revelation hit me; I couldn't see them. If I was a normal person, I would be jumping for joy. The remembered phantoms had left me at last. But no, the thought made my heart sting. I panicked, and tried to remember their faces in more vivid situations. Edward and I in the meadow. Edward and the family at school. Carlisle's face as he stitched up my arm. Jasper as he lunged for me. The first time in their mansion. Nope, nothing. I could remember the situations, and everything that happened in them, but the beautiful vampire family who were with me were like empty shadows. I could remember describing their traits in my mind; Edward's ruffled, cute and messy copper-and-bronze hair and intense honeycomb golden eyes. The way he looked so much more _boyish_ than his brothers. Alice's pretty, pixie-like features. Emmett, large and strong; just like a grizzly bear. Jasper's cautious, shy but dangerous manner. Rosalie's otherworldly –even for a vampire- statuesque beauty. I couldn't connect the features I remembered into people. I had just lost the best people in the world; somewhere in my own mind. If I ever saw them again, I _knew_ I would recognize them. I _knew_ that as much as I_ knew_ I never would see them again.

Before I could stop myself, I was sitting on the kitchen floor, trying hard to remember, tears pouring down my cheeks. It was like those first few days again; when I would wake up in the middle of the night, some random place in the house, knowing nothing but Edward had left me, and how much it had hurt. It hurt more now, paired with the sickness, and the child he'd left behind with me. There was a nudge of sorrow in my mind, and I realized that was my daughter, passing on her feelings. She was sad, too. And worried about me. She too, knew I would die, and she felt guilty for that. She was actually glad I had lost memories of the Cullens, that much I could tell. She didn't want to know them, perhaps? This was probably the first time I felt like I loved her, rather than just cared for her. I smiled, a sad, watery smile, and began to get up; Charlie would be home soon, and there were obvious reasons he never saw me out of my bed. I looked down at my bump, looked like it was six months along, rather than a month. _Good to know you, baby._ I smiled at it, when the front door opened. _Charlie_. I couldn't run upstairs, not without falling, or wasting what little was left of my energy. Instead, I just stood there.

Oh, it was madness. Charlie exploded into unintelligible gibbering, yelling random noises. He knew, instantly, but of course, it made no sense. I looked way further ahead than I should have been, and he should have noticed a while ago, if this was normal, anyway. Suddenly, he stopped yelling, and there was a weird, awkward silence, like the silence before a storm. He stared me down, like I was his next wrestling opponent. Then, he started hyperventilating. It would have been comical, if it wasn't so terrifying. He carried on with the frantic, too-fast breathing till he got a seat in the living room.

"Water!" He gasped angrily at me, and I stumbled away to get it for him, terrified of what was to come. I got back as quickly as I could, managing not to trip. I handed it to him from a distance with a quivering hand. He took it quickly, and I noticed his breathing had slowed down _slightly._ He took a tiny sip, I could imagine him choking on it, and I began panicking too. What if Charlie had a heart attack? What if something happened to him, because of me? As soon as he had taken that _tiny_ sip, he threw the rest at me; or should I say _over_ me. "Not thirsty." He mumbled, his voice still sounded guttural. I briefly wondered if it was really my fault, or if he'd actually just caught rabies at work. Slowly, I reached for the phone. Damn, it was broken. The tears that had been stuck in my eyes started to escape. Charlie was going to have a heart attack. And he was angry – furious- at me.I had possibly condemned the vampire world –if Charlie survived. All these things, I was thinking about, till Charlie seemed to manage to say something that made sense. "_Cullen..._" The name was a hiss. I couldn't respond in any way, the tears were streaming so thickly now; I was losing_ my_ ability to make sense. "When did this happen?! It _couldn't _have, _can't_ have been going on for _seven odd months_ behind my back! You can't be _this- this- _In what has been a month! I saw you before, and you were- you were-!" He spluttered. "Who did- why didn't- how come- how come?!" He stared at me, as though expecting me to answer one of his 'questions'.

"I-I...I can't...I don't...-" I couldn't finish what I was going to say, either. Though I wasn't lost for words, I just burst into tears; so many you would think I was hiding the river Nile behind my eyes. What would it be? My father, or the vampire world? My father; the one who had been looking after me – vice versa, really- the man who had never managed to let go, even if my mother, and me, had stopped caring as much as we used to, or vampires; the family that had deserted me, made up lies and used me as a distraction in their endless, pitiless lives, my only love, my own daughter, and myself, too, sort of. I couldn't choose. My head hurt, worse than ever. Light-headed. Blood loss. My daughter was 'feeding'. It was a surprise not to pass out.

I could faintly hear the telephone ringing, through the sound of my own pulse in my ears. I reached over to answer. Wait; phone? The broken one? Yes, oddly enough. _Number Withheld, _was the caller ID. "Don't you dare answer that phone, Isabella. I'm talking to you." Charlie said, though I didn't think guttural half-snarls was 'talking'. Plus, I was too light-headed to pay attention. I answered, and before I got a chance to ask who the caller was, a smooth, silky voice at the other end of the line spoke.

"Grab your father's hand, and hold it to his forehead." It commanded. I don't know why I did, but I did as the voice asked. He looked up at me in confused fury, and tried to pull away when I grabbed his hand. Somehow, I didn't fall over when he resisted. In fact, his resistance meant nothing; I managed to raise his hand like I would a feather. As soon as his palm touched his head, he slumped back, into some kind of sleep. I didn't have the vocal strength to scream. "Good." The voice said a second later. "Bella, dear. Do you have any idea who this is?" It asked. I shook my head slowly, until I remembered they couldn't see me. I was trembling, and still crying, but I managed to shakily answer.

"No."

"Oh dear. It's Aro, from the Volturi. I-"

"What on earth did I just do to my father?" I realized I didn't care who he was, though I knew it meant something.

"Ah, Bella, don't you worry. It wasn't even you, it was Malcolm. You know that some vampires have 'powers'? Yes, of course you do. Alice and Edward were naturals. Well, Malcolm… it doesn't really matter who he is, but he has a story-like power. Imaginative violence, and it comes true. And of course Caius, my dear brother has the power of_ knowing_ things. Like Alice, almost. Your father is merely in a deep, 'forget-everything-I-saw' sleep. No worries." I just sat there, eyes wide. I couldn't speak; there was nothing I could think of to say. "Now… Caius says you were going to request a ride to Volterra?" Just as he spoke, a shining, Mafia-style black car pulled up outside the house. A second later, three people were inside my house. There was a soft, jingling laugh, both on the phone and in my house. Aro, on the phone spoke again, as did the person laughing in the halls. I was frozen with fear. "Are you ready to leave, dear Bella?"

Aro.

**AN: Woot! 2 reviews! Thanks guys, you truly are the best. Sorry I didn't do an AN on the last chapter, I forgot... :P**

**Just in case,, my spacebar doesn't work very well atm, so I'm sorry if there are words smooshed together. Spell check helped that not happen, hopefully (yn). **

**I know, there are a few differences. Malcolm isn't really that important, tbh. And Caius has a power? I know, but I just thought it was odd that he was like a prince, or a king or whatever when he's a useless jerk. No offence, Caius admirers. And...it was kinda useful. He knows things, like Alice, but in the present. If you dnt get it, PM or review :D**

**Thankyou for reeeeeading (:**

**Rachee (: x**


	3. Chapter 3

The team that came for me was made up of Aro, and two vampires from the guard, Malcolm, and a small girl called Jane. Aro looked the oldest, and probably was, though there was no way to tell with vampires. His skin looked like onion skin, pale and thin; though I could guess it was just as strong as any other vampire's. He had long, greasy black hair that badly needed washed and brushed. He had _red _eyes. As did the others. They were all wearing black cloaks, which would have made me feel out of place, in my own house. If I cared. The small girl, Jane, as Aro introduced looked hateful and sadistic. You could tell by her expression, and how she told Malcolm to just kill Charlie instead of tricking him. She was beautiful though, of course. Medium length brown hair, but I could honestly say I didn't think they had showers in Volterra, looking at her and Aro; they really needed a wash. She had full pink lips and wide, beautiful eyes, despite the redness. Malcolm had short blonde hair, and it was actually clean. He had very angular features, a pointed chin and his cheekbones jutted out from under the skin. I bet he had blue eyes as a human. Like all vampires, they were pale as bone.

I'm not sure why their appearances were important, really, as after Malcolm 'planted an idea' into Charlie's mind, they walked me out the door. Well, carried me, but it seemed like I was walking, the way they supported me. "My... my stuff? Don't I get to bring anything?" I said, looking around at them. Nobody so much as looked at me.

"Taken care of." Jane said in a pretty, girlish voice, though it was incredibly apathetic, as though my case was the same as any other they dealt with. They got me to the car, which looked like a normal –though expensive- black car, but when I got inside, I realized the inside was like a stretch limo. There were chairs at one side, and a mini bar at the other. There was a fridge, with only one drink in it. My eyes narrowed in on the dark red liquid as I sat down. It seemed like the most delicious drink the world could offer, when it really was blood. It was, after all exactly what I needed. There was a monstrous desire deep within, possibly from my baby, but I managed to stop myself raiding the fridge for it all. That was when I felt a presence beside me that wasn't one of the vampires that came into my house. I jumped slightly. She was a very beautiful vampire, tall and statuesque like Rosalie. She had a small bag: my stuff.

"Heidi," She said to me, smiling pleasantly, swinging her light brown hair over her shoulder. She handed me the little bag, and then began surreptitiously inspecting me. I could feel her eyes –which were a strange violet colour- sweep over me in surprise. "Aro was right," She mumbled to Jane in disbelief.

"Of course he was!" Jane snapped. Heidi didn't look surprised by her behaviour, but unfortunately, I was either insane, or stupidly brave.

"Teacher's pet," I mumbled under my breath. Of course, vampires can _always_ hear when you speak. And I wasn't friendly with these vampires. Not these red eyed ones. I'd have to find out about that. Suddenly, Heidi looked alarmed, and Jane looked at me furiously. I don't know why, but when she glared, it made me feel very self-conscious. It might have just been because she was staring, but my head started to feel tickly, like a feather was trying to penetrate the skin. Jane looked even more pissed than before. She started hissing, and she bunched up in her seat as though she was about to launch herself at me. Okay, I was scared before, just after I made that remark. Now? Terrified. I was about to try screaming, use up the last of my energy, when suddenly Malcolm jumped into the car and sat on her tiny form. She hissed furiously, like he'd sat on a cat, not a little vamp girl.

"Sorry, Janey, didn't see you there." He chuckled, shimmying off her. "You're so darn tiny." His voice had a Texan, American farmer twang and he reminded me of Jasper a little, though only with the blonde hair and the accent. The attitude was very Jacob, or Emmett. Aro was in the front, driving. I don't know why _he_ was the driver, considering he was like the big boss, but whatever. "Hello, Isabella." He said pleasantly, though I could sense a mocking undertone to his voice. I was going to reply, when I got the sick feeling again.

"Got a bag?" I said quickly, not wanting to throw up on them. Heidi passed me one with a fearful look in her eye. It mustn't be _that_ bad...really.

"Great. She gets carsick before we've even went ten miles." Jane said, glaring.

"It's not carsickness, dumbass." Malcolm smirked at her. I wondered if he was going to make a joke about her or me. He opened his mouth to speak, when suddenly the car swerved, making us all jerk.

"Hush up, Malcolm, Jane." Aro chided playfully.

"Sorry, Aro," Jane murmured, bowing her head in shame. Heidi and I shared a smile, which she didn't see. I guess Heidi was the only one I liked at the minute. Malcolm and Jane, they were obviously annoying, but Aro... I didn't really trust his cheerfulness. Too fake.

It was an hour after we'd left home, and we were at the airport, sitting in the car, waiting. Malcolm and Jane stared at me in disbelief and disgust as I slurped blood through a straw. Heidi pretended not to mind, she was the one who suggested it after they'd heard my story. It was like an energy drink, I felt a bit more active. Just as well, the times in the journey I hadn't been speaking, I was asleep. Sometimes, I even trailed off my story and fell asleep. Heidi smiled reassuringly, and told me 'it left her cliff hangers'. Just as I finished my first glass –which actually tasted good, though I don't really think it was me alone who was tasting it- I looked out the dark tinted windows. What I saw shocked me, though I don't think I really should have been that surprised. I had no idea what airport we were at, anyway. I could see Renee and Phil, walking toward the main building. They had lots of sports bags and baseball kit, and what looked like a baseball team with their wives and girlfriends milling around them, going in the same general direction. Some even still wore their 'The Suns' shirts. I_ really _hadn't thought of Mom. But I didn't want her to see me. I was going to die, and that would be too painful to know it would be the last time to hug her. Plus, my physique wasn't exactly the kind for meeting Mom. Teenage pregnancies? A no-no for Mom. The Cullens? A definite no-no.

And just my luck, that was the time the vampires chose to get out the car. I stayed behind for as long as I could, though I couldn't really pretend to be asleep; they saw me alert a second ago, and they would be able to tell. I got out, trying to hide my face behind my hair, especially since I was crying again. Jane was the only one to remark.

"Oh, please," She smirked. In my annoyance, I kicked my leg out in front of her to trip her. She would have easily pushed it away, or walked through it, if she were paying any attention. She fell face first onto the gravelly pavement. Heidi didn't know I'd tripped her.

"I thought we were graceful?" She said mockingly. Luckily, Jane couldn't retaliate, because in public she was just a girl. I looked for Renee and the rest of the baseball team again, but they were nowhere to be seen. I wiped my eyes and followed the vampires into the airport.

"Bella?" Someone said, through the crowd. It was Renee. Oh, no. I pretended not to be Bella, and ignored her. "Bella Swan?" She called again, less certain this time. Then, I heard her mumble, "It isn't Bella." To Phil.

"Of course it's not, honey. That lady's pregnant. And bonier. And paler. She looks nothing like Bella. I can't believe you don't know what your daughter looks like," He chortled. I stole a glance at them, to see them walking away, arms around each other, still laughing.

"Your Mom?" Heidi asked me sympathetically. I nodded, wiping tears away from my eyes. She put an arm around my shoulders. It felt weird, her cold, hard arm on me, but not uncomfortable. It was familiar.

I can honestly say I didn't see any more of the journey. I would blame Malcolm, but I knew myself better. I was exhausted, I'm surprised I didn't sleep longer. But I had reasons to wake up; I was in absolute agony. And I was all alone, in a dark, unfamiliar room. The walls were stone, so I could guess this was no hotel, but the actual castle they planned on taking me to. It was like stomach cramps. Bloodlust? There was a glass by my bed, I drunk it all in one gulp. Nope, not that. Though it did settle a bit. I pulled up my shirt to see large blotches of black on my stomach. _Kicking._ Either that or she was trying to tear holes through me. I tried to ignore the pain. I looked around the room, searching for something interesting. It was an empty room, except the bed, the table, the window and me and my things. And a little envelope by the door.

_Nobody will come to you. The door is locked. There is a bathroom in the other room, back corner._

I looked around. Indeed there was a door to a bathroom.

_We're not like your Cullen family, your blood...we cannot resist if exposed to it. We will know if you die, don't worry._

Yeah, like I was worried about that. Freakin' Volturi. I came here for some vampire, professional help. Instead, they've kept me prisoner? There was another little note, more surreptitious, hidden in the side of the door.

_We'll visit you. Heidi, Renata,etc. And of course, Gianna. She's human, so she'll be the best. Just say the word. :) xxx _

At least I wasn't _entirely_ alone.

**AN: Soo... what do we think so far? Review? Cheers much (:**

**Thanks to everyone who has already reviewed, you're so kind (:**

**Idk, this chapter may have taken the 'drama' out of it xD**

**Will she or won't she stay with the Volturi? :O Will she meet the Cullens? .... If you know me, you know the answer. That's all I'm saaayin,. **

**Thanks again, peeps. I'll invent a new word, for just how amazing you all are.... but not right now. Fantasticamazingreaterrifficoolactoseintolerant. Naah, just doesn't work. will get back to ya on that one. :L**

**Cya,**

**Rachee (: x**


	4. Chapter 4

For several days, the only thing in my life was pain. Worse than kicking, worse than getting your blood drained. Worse than running up a mountain with the Cullens strapped to your back. Whatever it really was, I didn't know. I was practically paralysed, and I couldn't see a thing. I could hear, though. On the first day, I could hear Gianna, the human receptionist for the Volturi, cooing. "Aww, would'ya look at that! Such a cute little Gracey! Such a beautiful baby!" She carried on fussing. I would have wondered who, till I remembered Grace was what I was going to call _my _daughter. Suddenly, Gianna spoke again, voice a lot colder, sharper. "Do it now, Heidi." And that's when I faded out for real. That was when I lost all my senses, except from being able to feel pain. It shot through my bloodstream and nerve system like fire arrows. I must have cried out a few times; there was no way I could endure it in silence. There were a few things I knew for sure: First, I was no longer pregnant, and I should be dying now. I was still at the Volturi castle. I hurt like flames were scratching through me... No, _no NO!_ They had changed me! There was nothing I could do. I willed my body to reject the change, but it was no use.

It seemed like less than three days later when I sat up, tired but angry. I didn't want this life. Gianna, Heidi, Renata and a lot of other Volturi women were in the room, but none of them noticed me waking up. They were all bunched in a circle, swooning over... over my _daughter._

A sharp, snapping snarl exploded from me, like a dog restrained on a leash. It shocked everyone in the room, especially me. My vocal chords stung, but the women obediently shuffled out the way. "Wait." Renata commanded them, and they all moved back into place again, looking slightly confused. "Bella..." She drawled in her mocking voice. "What do you feel toward Gianna?"

Everyone shifted their gaze to look at the beautiful human in the room. I wondered what Renata meant. Was she expecting me to be attracted to her? I mean, with my heightened senses I could see her a lot better, but... I suddenly got what she meant. Gianna didn't look afraid; rather she raised her head, further exposing her neck, but she was. Her heartbeat sped up, and there was a natural feeling of fear around her, an emotion she tried to hide every single day. I could smell her blood – all my senses were alert to it – but it held no interest to me. I knew it was there, and I could easily drink it, if I felt like it, but there was no desperate need to dive for her veins. Like it wasn't my favourite food, but I still liked it. "Nothing different." I said apathetically, switching my attention away from the human to look at _my_ Grace. Grace Swan.

"Nothing at all? But she is human. Does her blood not affect you?" Renata persisted.

"Renata," I raised an eyebrow at her, and though it was a mocking expression, everyone could feel the threat.

"I'm worried about having you around your daughter, seeing as she is human... ish." She wasn't mocking me anymore, she was serious, with that motherly concern in her voice.

"I feel fine," I pouted, trying to look _over_ the crowd of women now, as they had advanced into a semicircle, cutting me off from her. I stood up, and pushed through them effortlessly. There was a cry of alarm as they fell over each other, but I ignored them. I looked at Grace, and nearly took a step back. She was beautiful. Beyond belief; prettier than Rosalie, or Heidi, or any other vampire. She had large, stunning green eyes that seemed to pierce through my heart in a gaze. They were so full of knowledge and understanding, like she knew everything about my life. Her skin was pale like magnolias, and seemed to sparkle, like she'd just been sprinkled with confetti. She had hair; brown, just like mine. It flowed to her shoulders in soft, shimmering ringlets. There was no way she was three days old. "She can't be mine," I didn't ask them, I just stated it. There was no way I was right; of course, I was there in her hair, her glowing blush. As I spoke, there seemed to be a nervous shuffling in the group.

"Well..." Heidi started, "That seems to be one of the things quite strange about her. Her appearance has advanced greatly, as you can see, in the space of those three days." She spoke matter-of-factly.

"She looks like a three year old!" I gasped.

"Can't you see yourself in her? Can't you see the father?" One of the other women piped up, and I recognized her as Isadora, one of the wives. I could see myself... and, I could see her father. Memories flooded back, and all those days I had lost with the Cullens had returned. It was Edward's green eyes she had. And her features, though more feminine and childish, were practically the same as his. I smiled sadly down at her. She looked up at me knowingly, and I could almost see the sympathy in her eyes. The others noticed that, too. "I'd say she's a week off being able to speak," Isadora grinned, refolding her muscled, manly arms. Wife or not, she was a warrior more than anything.

I could hardly speak, suddenly, I was overcome by grief. It was just me and Grace, from now on. I had absolutely no intention of staying here, and I couldn't go back to Charlie, or anyone else I used to know. I was living with my own piece of Edward. I wondered what he would think if he ever met her, or me, now. I don't think I'd want to see that, really, I can't imagine his discomfort, seeing what he' left behind. No, he shouldn't feel obliged to stay with Grace and me. I reached out to hold her, and everyone held their breath. Did they seriously think I would bite her? She did smell wonderful, but not tasty. As soon as my skin touched hers, I felt that same connection we once had. The one where she channelled her emotions to me. She didn't shudder at my touch, even though her soft skin was several degrees above mine. Used to it, with all these cooing harpies. Right now, she felt relieved, and there was disbelief there, too. She didn't think it was me. Not until we had the connection, of course. I didn't know if the connection was two-way or not, so I tried sending her my happiness and love. She smiled up at me appreciatively. "My little Grace." I said to myself, still smiling.

That was when things started crumbling. Sienna and Malcolm –Volturi guards – burst through. The action seemed very serious, but their faces were calm, unruffled. Sienna cleared her throat; an odd action for a vampire, before speaking, "Master Aro would like to request a meeting with you, since you have awoken, Isabella and Grace Swan." She said formally. Her gaze settled on the two of us, Grace still in my arms, and there seemed to be a quick flicker of emotion, before she became emotionless again. I didn't hesitate.

We got through to the main room, which had been decorated since I'd last seen it, when I'd first arrived. I could see _everything_; the texture on the walls, the lice in Jane's hair (kidding). I could hear everything, too; the other rooms, even what was going on outside the castle. I was a vampire. It seemed ridiculous to come to that realization so late, but I guess that was just it hitting me now. I was going to live forever, going to need to drink blood, keep out of sunlight. It was my dream – and my worst nightmare. In the main room, Aro, Caius and Marcus were sitting in their 'thrones'. There was an increasing fear coming from Grace, and sadness, as though she was expecting something terrible.

"Bella!" Aro cried happily, setting down the book he was reading. "And Grace," He practically sang cheerfully.

"Haven't killed the little half-breed, I see." Caius snickered. Nobody paid attention to him, except me. That was a question; why wasn't I affected by the need to drink blood?

"You're a little early up, we weren't quite ready for you," Aro said, with a thespian sorrow, "That might explain why you can bear to hold her."He nodded at Grace again.

"Personally, I'm almost at the end of my restraint," Jane muttered, receiving a glare from me.

"So, that's why? Does that mean I'm immune to blood?" I said hopefully, the idea of having to run from it annoyed me.

"Goodness no!" Aro laughed uneasily, avoiding my gaze. "This makes things worse, actually," He murmured, still looking away. He took a deep, sad breath, before looking up at me. "You see Bella, 'immunities' happen often. When you finish the change early, some effects are withheld for a while, thirst being the most common. Therefore, you _will_ get the thirst, but it will be stronger, and you will never know when it strikes. You see the problem?" He said sadly. I just shook my head, confused and scared of what he was saying. Grace knew, I could feel it. "Well, we expected you to not be able to bear being near your daughter, so you wouldn't have time to be around her." I looked at him blankly, though I could guess what he was going to say. "So you do love your daughter? Well... I'm afraid you will be unable to keep her, if you want her to live."

**AN: Oooh, cliffie :P **

**Sorry it's short, sorry it's crap, :/**

**I'm going on holiday in 2 days, so I'll try jam in another chapter, cause I got a good plan going on with this story, and I'm actually kinda tempted to tell you now, but I won't cause that'd ruin it :/ **

**R&R? Cheeers,. **

**Thankies to all you reviewers, already reviewing, you're starssssss (: **

**Rachee (: xxx**


	5. Chapter 5

I stared miserably out of the plane windows, watching as the patches of green land disappeared behind us along with fluffy white clouds. Malcolm had offered to put me to sleep several times, I declined every time. Sienna was sitting next to him, looking through my bag with curiosity. Normally, I would have cared that a vampire I hardly knew was looking through my stuff, but right now I couldn't care less. My mind was fixed solely on my daughter. Aro had practically forced me to leave her with Gianna, despite the fact that she often went for the human's veins.

"Is this you?" Sienna asked me, pulling her head out of my bag, and pulling me out of my worry – temporarily. She held up a photo from my purse. I nodded solemnly; there wasn't much vampiric difference to me, was there? "Gosh, you look nothing alike," She remarked, pulling out a mirror from her own bag. "Here, I bet you haven't even seen your reflection yet, have you?" She tossed me my driver's licence and the mirror. She was right; I couldn't find my humanity in my new image, I looked an entirely new, absolutely different, absolutely beautiful person. Not to be vain, but I topped Rosalie. You could still describe me in basically the same way, woody brown hair and pale skin, and maybe not chocolate brown eyes as much as blood red ones. I also had that motherly sort of look about me, the one Esme had. I didn't look young and free like Alice and Rosalie, and often Renee, but I didn't look old and irritable. Motherhood really does change you. That thought brought a tear to my eye, even though I couldn't shed them, as I remembered I would never get to see my daughter again. Nobody had confirmed this, but I knew it. The idea of this 'mission' wasn't just to implant ideas in my family and friend's minds, it was also so they could find out what to do with Grace. And there was nothing I could do about it. I was trapped, of course I didn't want to hurt her, no matter how late my bloodlust would kick in, but I didn't want to lose her. When I asked Aro if I could see her again in my life, he thought it sounded silly, since she wouldn't remember me and I hardly knew her. _I hardly knew her!_ I only had her in my arms for fifteen minutes before she was whisked away, and I was sent away to deal with humans I knew. I would find her one day, even if she didn't know it was me.

Charlie was easy; he was already enchanted by Malcolm, so he welcomed us into my house with such warmth, though he didn't seem to recall who we were. With a feather touch to his head, Charlie was asleep, as though hypnotized. "Bella is with Renee, in Jacksonville. If anyone says otherwise, you pretend as though you haven't heard them and change the subject. You never argue, as wherever she is, she is perfectly safe and you have absolutely no worries about her..." Malcolm continued with his hypnotism, I couldn't listen. My eyes suddenly started watering up. "...And you don't miss her. You are pleased she took this opportunity."

"I love you, Dad," I whispered, taking my leave early. We had a black limo-car like the first time, too and I jumped in, looking at everything except the house. I waited till Sienna and Malcolm came back, they were sleuthing around my house, making sure there was nothing that would confuse Charlie's installed knowledge. It was at that moment a silver Volvo passed me by. My cold, dead heart leapt into my throat; in excitement or fear? Then I noted the number plate; all wrong. Of course it wasn't him. Plus, they would have no reason to be here. And they would have no reason to think of me, the limo was parked a few houses away. I watched the road afterward anyway; feeling paranoid and alert. Nothing. A few flashy cars passed me by, which made me decide to scrounge from the Volturi for money before deciding to leave them. I don't know where the car craze came from, but I might have to copy one of the motorists that drove by, a Porsche 911 Turbo, though I couldn't say I'd copy the colour, canary yellow was a little too ostentatious for my liking.

That effectively distracted me, before I knew it we were speeding along the motorway, on our way to Jacksonville. Planes would be quicker and easier, but Sienna really drove quickly, _too _quickly. I didn't even go in the house to see Renee and Phil; it would be too painful and difficult. As far as I know, they were told the same as Charlie, saving confusion. I looked up at the house, and although I didn't know it, I knew I would miss it. I was glad they didn't insist upon telling my parents I was dead, I wouldn't be able to bear _that_. Though Malcolm told me I would never be able to see them again anyway, so we might as well have said I was dead. I guessed he would be quite a gift for the Volturi, without him they would have had a lot more fabricating to do. And Sienna didn't really have a power, but they didn't want to lose Malcolm, seeing as they were together. When I asked her if she had a power, she just laughed, before telling me that her power was to keep Malcolm on the right tracks. I didn't realize she meant it. I often wondered what my power was –whenever I wasn't thinking of other things, Grace, the Cullens, my family, etc.- but I never thought I had one. One of my main thoughts –and wishes- was that maybe Aro was wrong, and that I was immune to the pull of blood, and it was my power, but that was wrong; bloodlust was bubbling and slowly growing. It wasn't unbearable yet, I just had to try and not think about it. Though there was no living thing nearby, except in my mother's house, and small creatures, I could feel it now, burning on my throat, tingling at my muscles. It didn't make me feel weaker, in fact it did the opposite; it invigorated me, made me feel more _powerful_. I felt like that now, and I revelled in the feeling, trying to forget darker, sadder thoughts.

The car door opened then, "Aw, crap! Who didn't lock the door? Siennaaa," Malcolm groaned, looking about the car.

"Wha-? Oh, shiiiiiiiii-"

"She's gone, Aro is going to flip!"

"She can't have, her scent hasn't left the car. What the-?" They looked around the inside the car, then the outside. I didn't have a clue what they were on about, but I guessed they were looking for me, which was odd, because they looked right at me a second ago. I looked down at myself; and screamed. I wasn't there. Of course, the noise drew them back into the car, where I was waving my arms, trying to get to a point where I could see myself again. "Bella?" Sienna said uncertainly.

"Help!" I gasped, still trying to find myself. I closed my eyes; it was my imagination, I could see me, of course I could see myself.

"Bella, what are you doing?!" Malcolm asked, and I slowly opened my eyes. I was still shaking my arms around, but I could see myself again. I stopped instantly, guessing they could see me too. "And how did you disappear like-" He looked at me in confusion, and then at Sienna, who was slowly and coyly smiling.

"You've got a power," She smirked.

We were back at the castle, but I was reluctant to share news of my new power with anyone else; I didn't want to be forced to stay there. Malcolm practically commanded me to go see Aro about it though, and I didn't have much choice; it wasn't a power I could use whenever, it just seemed to be when I was thirsty, and could control the energy I felt. I knew they would have got rid of Grace by now, they Aro was already calling people about her before I left. _Bastard_.

"Isabella, my dear!" He called as soon as I entered the room. I was right, Grace wasn't there, I couldn't smell or hear a heartbeat other than Gianna's. "How was your trip?"

"How was it for you?" I asked coldly, "Get all the things you needed to do done?" He knew what I meant, and a smirk started playing on his lips.

"Why indeed I did, dear Bella. It doesn't concern you now, though, does it?"

I raised my head, "Where is she?"

"Oh, now Bella, we can't really tell you where, you wouldn't want to hurt her now, would you? She has been adopted, and that is all you need to know."

"Can you tell me when I control my thirst?" I knew I was practically twisted around his little finger, but he had me. Knowledge like he had _would_ give him power.

"Why? She would never know you, would you force yourself upon her? You barely connected with her, you'll get over it.

"'I'll _get over it?'_ I'll forget about the product of my love, a child I was willing to give my life for? The daughter of my indifferent, unknowing love? Who I fed my own, human blood just to keep alive? You want me to _get over her?_" I was seething, furious; he couldn't expect me to get over her. Not another loved one to forget, there were too many. The energy was returning, but it wasn't quite the same as the one I felt before. It was stronger, more powerful, and it was threatening to take over.

"Just forget about it, Bella. All will soon be well. Now, I have reasons to believe you have news for me?" He said, once again cheerful and happy. I was beyond that. The power was coming in waves now, stronger, like it could almost reignite my cold, dead heart. I shut my eyes, trying to stop it from getting any stronger. It burned under my skin, behind my eyes. I grit my teeth when it became painful. "Bella?" Aro said curiously, expecting an answer. I didn't quite pass out, but near enough. I became a spectator, only I couldn't see. I could hear the screams, though. The room was on fire, whereas I wasn't, not anymore.

I was in the dark room again, I guessed it was my _bedroom_, if vampires needed one. My head hurt, and I had no idea what had just happened. I didn't know why I was in this room. I knew that I had lost control, and that I would _never_ see Grace again, unless I tracked her down, and that was about it.

"Bellaaa," A voice rasped from behind the door. I froze.

"Who's that?"

The creature laughed, "It's Aro. We would like a meeting with you, if you have cooled down. We have an _offer_ for you."


	6. Chapter 6

Kicking down another alabaster creature, I spun in a circle, ready to face the others. The one who'd just fallen got back up again and lunged at me. He burned, falling back to the ground. This time my eyes were open to watch it happen. I kept emotionless as I watched him tumble into a protective barrier; Renata engulfed him in it, and the flames stopped. The others stopped slightly, spooked out. They _thought_ they knew what they signed up for when they were chosen to help me develop fighting skills, but they were wrong. I didn't need to develop my ability to fry them, to kick them down the first chance I got. No, I trained every single hour I could. Yes, I'm on their side. Yes, okay, _whatever_. Someday, they won't be lucky; I'll get them.

I had killed vampires since their offer; lots of vampires. There was nothing in it for me, that they knew of. Aro had taken each and every one of the things I loved. He took my daughter away from me. He took away my best memories; copying and binding them to himself. He took my humanity. I was their _assassin, _you could say. Instead of the Volturi guard going out to clean up breaches of secrecy, they sent me. I didn't know what the vampires had done, I just stopped their messing around in whatever way I could, generally burning them to the ground. I didn't once stop to think that they could be in similar situations to me. Not until yesterday, that is. I came across a woman who had been killing humans blindly, for her mate had been accidentally burnt to death by a fire they caused. When I caught her, she was in hysterics, but she welcomed death bravely. She reminded me of myself, how I felt when Edward left. I let her free, but she wouldn't take that. She smiled at me, at my mercy; she had taken her revenge, and she had her forgiveness, and now she wanted her leave. With a sad, yet slightly maniac smile, she lit a match, and she was taken in by death, shredding at herself as she burnt to the ground.

That was the only time I'd felt emotion in the past year. I sat on a log in the forest, watching her figure out her own anguish, released at last. Seeing her battle with herself, now she was all worn out, with nothing left to do. She attacked me, her sunshine gold ringlets swaying in fury, red eyes burning like a blazing sunset. I let her, I don't know why; in Volterra, if someone touched me, I rarely had mercy. When she vented that out, she then proceeded to kill herself. I didn't stop her. Her last words stopped me, though. I think it was a prayer, but it scared me, like she was praying to me: "Please, have mercy, have grace and have love. Take me to the heavens, if that is where Niko is. Or to hell, if that is where he is not." And then she was gone. I actually had to stay where I was for a long time, to get over the emotions and pain I had just witnessed and shared. Mine isn't the only sad story in the world.

Though I will admit that my every thought is still with Grace. She would have been one by that time, or whatever age she appeared to be, since she looked a lot older on the _occasion _I saw her. I hardly thought about Edward anymore, but often, thoughts of him would pass through my mind. _What is he doing now? Does he ever think of _me? And yes, I'll admit that my frosted heart would still melt for him. _Where do they live now? Do _any_ of the Cullens think of me? In hatred, or with a smile?_ I didn't even want to think of Grace; I would just burst into tears. I was still going to go find her, as soon as I finished my business here in Volterra.

Another one of the guard regained their wits and began toward me hesitantly. I hadn't hunted for a while, so my image was fading. The 'warrior' carried on, but walked slower, brow furrowing in confusion. Then he stopped, wide eyed. I walked around him, now certain that he couldn't see me. Instead of going straight for him, I grabbed the other two's heads and knocked them together with enough force to split a human skull in half. Then I threw one away, into Renata's shield – which counted as 'out' since I wasn't to kill them – and took the other to the first guard member still in, and within seconds I didn't need to bother throwing them away, they were on the ground, in a vampire version of unconsciousness.

"Aaaaannd, twenty five seconds!" Renata yelled as soon as I was done. She let the shield down, and one of the guard – the one I'd burnt before – burst into flames again. The shield only paused the flames.

"Water?" I ask them, wondering if they're stupid. Someone rushes off to get some, just as Caius floats through. He opens his mouth to speak, then stops to stare confusedly at the vampire writhing in flames on the ground.

"Can't you stop that?" He asks me – do I detect a hint of concern? – but I just shake my head. I wait patiently for him to start talking, like a good worker should. He's got a job for me, of course. He opens his mouth to speak again, just as someone returns with a bucket of water. He pauses again to watch. When the man stops wriggling, he begins. "Bella," _Aro has a job for you,_ "Aro has a job for you." _You need to travel to…_ "You need to travel to America," _America, to stop the trouble so-and-so is causing in Wherever'sville._ "To stop the trouble an anonymous vampire is causing in Seattle." Ah, close enough. See, I've heard this so many times, I know it off by heart. Wait; what? Seattle? Anonymous?

"Caius, aren't you meant to _know_ these things?" I ask, the first feelings of fear trickling down my spine. Seattle. Near Forks. Anonymous. Unknown. With his power, Caius should know who it is, and I should be off, plain sailing to get rid of some random vampire.

"I _should_ know, but I can't tell you a thing about them. They seem to have a strong mental block, like your shield. I can see where they've been, but it's like they've just left the area."

"Right, okay." I nod, though I'm desperate to shake my head. I buried my thoughts about Forks long ago, my only concerns are Grace, and getting rid of the Volturi. I might steal thoughts about the Cullens, but that has nothing to do with Forks. But now… now I'm going back there? I sigh, and I know I'm going whether I want to or not. Aro will just dangle information about Grace in front of me, and though I know better – that he won't share an ounce of info – part of me will always hope. It would make my life so much easier just to be told. "Will anyone else come with me?" I ask.

He laughs bitterly, making me scowl. "Oh, now Bella. One little vampire and you need help?" He shakes his head, the cloud of his hair dancing above his eyebrows. "You're alone. It should be easy, at least. You leave tonight, come back soon. Right?"

"Yes," I sigh. Part of me wants to run and hide, the other part wants to go now, see how Forks has changed, spy on people I used to know, things like that. _It's only Seattle, not Forks._ I try and remind myself. Caius turns to leave. "Wait a minute, can I just leave now?" I stop him. He smiles sadistically, and shrugs.

"Whatever," He says crookedly. Part of me is mortified. I can't believe I just got myself extra time to go back to my old life. But another, younger, more human part of me is thinking: Viva Forks!

**AN: Okayy, sorry I haven't updated in agessssssss... or have I? I can't remember xD  
But my laptop's been playing up, & I've been reading other books,, etc. xD**

**Okay, thankyou, readers & reviewers, (: **

**Rachee (: xxx**


	7. Chapter 7

The flight to Seattle was fairly short, but it was boring. I was left alone, with nothing but my thoughts – which I quickly banished – so I became like some sort of zombie. Still warring with myself whether I really wanted to go back to Forks again, though I probably would anyway. Sienna was right; nobody would recognize me. Looking at me, they might be _reminded_ of Bella Swan, the girl who ran away to Jacksonville one day. To them, I was just Mary Sparrow – not a Swan, see? – a tourist. But first things first, I had to find this rogue in Seattle. Having brought no luggage, I just sailed through the terminals, invisible to everyone. Of course, that meant I had to keep it up on the seven hour flight _and_ through the terminals in Seattle. Which meant sitting next to humans when I could easily justify killing them. But I didn't, and I was outside in American air, free to drink in the forests.

Unfortunately, my hunting trip was uneventful. I didn't find the killer, so I had to rely on Caius's information. The last place he saw him/her was in an old car warehouse on the outskirts of the city. They had just left into the nearby forests. I kept the description of the image in mind as I circled the city, looking for anything that could host a killer vampire. There was no scent anywhere around, which bothered me, but I eventually found the warehouse. It was dank, and dark and much more abandoned than I expected. It was like the workers just decided to leave one day, leaving cars and equipment like it had been dropped where they stood. It was eerie, too. Every drop of water that fell from the ceiling, every gust of wind sounded like a voice. But the worst thing was; not all of it was water. I found one drip, just on its own, and a puddle of blood around where it landed.

One look up told me everything. There was a dead man on the rafters. And another. And another. There were several dead men, lying on the wood below the ceiling. Only the one above me was dripping. The others had no blood to shed.

At least I had my target. I shuddered, feeling positively sick. I could kill, sure. But I killed vampires who killed humans. I was different.

Or was I? I killed them without second thoughts; just using them as pawns to prove my loyalty to the Volturi. I didn't care about why they did what they did. Well, except that woman the other day. I offered her mercy, didn't I? But why, because I thought of myself. That was it. This would be my last job for the Volturi. This would be the last job the Volturi have for me. For anyone.

Grimacing, and holding back the need to wretch as I jumped up into the rafters to look at all the bodies. I was right about all the others, they'd all been drained. Except one…? Carefully I hopped over to that one, the one with the blood. As I got nearer, I could smell the blood, unconcealed and calling. I took a deep, unnecessary breath and tried to focus. Looking away as I did it, I bent down and swiped my fingers in the crimson liquid. If I didn't look at it, if I didn't smell it, I could convince myself it was water. The feeling was all that mattered. I don't know whether I was surprised or not to find it was warm. Very warm, almost hot on _my_ skin. There was the scent too. Vampire; it was sweet, like all vampire scents, but had a strange mix in it, like a bonfire smell, along with a tang of raspberry. I had to get the blood off my fingers before I drank it. While I was standing there, musing about the scent of the vampire, I had been raising my hand slowly toward my face. With a gasp, involuntarily smelling the blood, I bent down to wipe it on the man's clothing. I could see his face, illuminated by the holes in the ceiling. He was frozen in shock, or pain, or in a venom induced fire running through his veins. He was definitely dead, no chance of him returning to the world now. I wondered briefly about his life; if he had family, hopes and dreams. Then I caught sight of his ripped open neck, and I stopped, grimacing.

The vampire had left via the roof, and I followed, climbing through to stand on the rusting metal that clanged under my feet, no matter how lithely I moved. I walked down the sloping side toward the forest, and realised why I hadn't been able to smell the vampire before. I edged backwards, and took a running jump into the forest. The scent followed through the air, in the trees I passed through, not on the ground. When I finally landed, I wasn't anywhere near the warehouse, but in the depths of the forest.

It went for a long while, it took me an hour, running at vampire speed, but I finally got to what I believed to be – but hoped wasn't – the rogue's final destination. Forks.

I lost the scent near the city, and couldn't persuade myself to look for it now. I jogged to Jessica Stanley's house; nobody was in, but they weren't dead, the car was away, so I don't know the details. Angela Weber's family were in; they were all playing Singstar in the main room, Angela helping her little brothers sing a song I couldn't quite name. I went to all of my high school friends houses; the most trivial places. I didn't go near my house, further than across the street. I could hear the TV – soccer match – but Charlie wasn't watching it. He was on the phone, he was _crying._ I had to go for a closer look. When I left, I hoped they would be happy, but clearly he wasn't.

"Yes Renee… I know… I just didn't… I didn't think, I mean, I thought she was… I was sure she was with… I can't believe she's… that she's…" He choked up then. It took me a while to realise what he was talking about, but when I did, I didn't believe it. I listened for more.

I could hear my mother's voice on the other end of the line. "It's okay, it wasn't anyone's fault. For the whole year, I just believed she was with you. And then I woke up, that day when I called, and I just knew, Charlie. I knew I'd been wrong." I gagged, trying not to be sick. They thought I was dead. Malcolm's spell wore off. "I'm glad they found her…her…b-b-. I'm glad she was found. And she's just as beautiful, like she's asleep. We'll be down for the- the- the funeral." Wait a minute… body? Where had _I_ been found dead? Thinking about it, I knew what had happened. Malcolm and Sienna had been sent to America recently, on some mysterious business. They were clearly just trying to get rid of the threat of any humans, but in a way that wouldn't involve me knowing. "I have to go sweetie, we're just going through the terminals now," Mom whispered, and then hung up. I had moved close enough to see Charlie now; he looked awful. He stared at the phone for several minutes, wrinkles more predominant on his ashen face. Then, as if on impulse, he stood up and walked to the table, where photos had been laid out, all of me.

"Bella." He mouthed sadly. I let out a loud, tearless sob; all the emotional barriers I'd set up crashed down on me, and the crying wouldn't stop. Swiftly, Charlie swivelled round, but I'd already disappeared. I was running, far and fast away from the house.

My name was on the funeral board at the church. I stared at it, frozen in place. Isabella Marie Swan, service on at 11.00am. I had a few –eight – hours to spare, but I was going to my funeral. I had to be there, even as a stranger, for my parents. And I was a little curious as to which of my school friends would attend, what they had to say about me. Not that it was important. Plus, I might hear something about these killings; again, not that it was important – not to me. _And_ I would get to see what kind of job Malcolm had done. I walked through the gravestones; there wasn't really anyone I knew, and those I did were only possible relatives of old friends. In the end, I went to sit on the church steps and wait for dawn. But I wasn't alone in the graveyard. Grave keeper, I told myself. It had to be. It _was_ an eerie place, but there was nothing scarier than a vampire here.

There was a rustling in the trees. I heard voices, too. A woody, musty smell preceded them though; I could smell them long before I could make out their words. "Enough proof for you?" Someone growled. I sat up tense, alert and ready to eavesdrop.

"Not yet," A more familiar voice snapped in response.

"You want to see the corpse?" Another snorted humourlessly.

"Or _not_ the corpse," The familiar voice spoke again. "And the company. If there are _any_ leeches here, we'll know the truth." I couldn't place the voice, but it _was_ somewhere in my memory. But they definitely were on to me. They knew I had been changed – well, the familiar one did. Did I trust him enough to let him know the truth? Probably not, if he called me a _leech_.

"Can't we just come back tomorrow?" One whined. "Emily said she'd make another meal, didn't she Sam?" SAM! I knew that name… Jacob Black! He knew about vampires…? How?

"Come on then. There's nothing here yet anyway," Jacob growled, and then, just as I moved close enough to see them, something strange happened. They were all shirtless; even on a cold night like this. But they all crouched, one by one, and morphed. Morphed into bears. No, _wolves. Werewolves_. Unable to contain it; I gasped. And they all heard. They lifted their noses, pricked up their ears and their sharpened eyes turned toward me. They couldn't speak anymore, but they all seemed to recognize me as a vampire, and they didn't like _that_. There was a collaborated growl, mixed with snarls, before they all jumped into action, following the largest, russet one I knew to be Jacob. I wanted to call out to stop him, but I knew that it wouldn't help my case too much. Instead, I just ran for it. Persistent bunch they were, they followed me for a long time. It was only when I got into a thicket of trees did they stop, as though unable to cross an invisible line. I stopped, despite the screaming voice in my head, telling me that these were dangerous creatures. I would have torched them, but I couldn't do that to Jacob; I had known him for years. And invisibility just didn't seem to work with their keen noses and ears, especially now they were on the hunt. They all sat on their haunches, snarling and snapping at me furiously. I wanted them to change back, so I could tell them to leave me alone. I couldn't tell what I'd done wrong. Or perhaps they knew about the murdering vampire, and thought it was me. Whatever the reason, it was better to stay still. Come to think of it, I didn't know why they stopped. Was this some sort of sacred ground they weren't allowed on? I looked around for a Stonehenge type structure, but what I found was nothing like Stonehenge. It was a large white mansion, with people at the door. No, not people. One rushed forward, and I knew who it was before they got here.

Alice Cullen.

"Oh my gosh!" She cried from a distance. They were afraid of me too, apparently. Then she squinted at me, then at the werewolves, who I kept one eye on. "It isn't Victoria!" Alice called out to both groups, the wolves and the Cullens. _The Cullens. _Oh, God. Would they recognize me? No, surely they wouldn't. _I_ wouldn't recognize me. And why should they even think of me? Obviously, they just waited till I was gone so they could move back here. Of course I was an inconvenience to them.

Alice continued walking forward, slowly now. I don't know whether it was because of me or the werewolves. She stopped a few feet away from me, and looked right at me. For half a second, her eyes widened in hopeful recognition. Then she blinked, keeping her eyes shut sadly for several minutes. Her shoulders shrugged sadly, like she was trying hard to keep non-existent tears at bay. When she opened her eyes once more, her eyes sparkled with moisture, looking like polished gold. "Jacob Black, you can leave now," She called, an undertone of anger in her sweet, bell voice. I didn't know what to do. I should run from her, run from the wolves, find this vampire – Victoria? – and return to Italy. But I wanted to… I don't know what I wanted to do. Did I want to forgive them? What good would that do? It wouldn't change anything about how _they _felt about _me_. Or did I want to hold a grudge, hold a vendetta against them for leaving me? No, not just leaving me. For leaving me pregnant with a half-vampire child, at the mercy of the Volturi, to manipulate and steal from.

Better to run. Better to get away, kill vampires and forget all about them. "Terribly sorry for intruding," I smile instead, my voice showing off the hint of Italian accent I picked up in the past year. Damned Volturi. "I don't suppose you could introduce yourself?" I asked, before mentally cringing. Sure, my impulsive idea was to pretend not to know them, to get their help, but I hadn't intended on sounding like I was old and haughty.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, and she looked up slightly annoyed. "I'm Alice. Alice Cullen. That-" She gestured to the house, with the family by the door, staring confusedly – "Is my _family._" She said bitterly, making me stare in shock. Alice wasn't like this.

I stammered to introduce myself, "I-I'm-"

"You're from the Volturi, we know." She replied. Oh. The Cullens don't like the Volturi. Then again, neither do I. "You're here, searching for Victoria, the one who has been killing mercilessly and up until recently generating an army of newborns to kill a human girl. Right?"

"Well, I didn't know all _that_," I tell her nervously. "But yes. And I don't intend to harm you or your family. Aro has spoken greatly of you, and I didn't anticipate meeting you here, but since I have, I would greatly appreciate hearing any information you might have that would help me get out of here as quickly as possible." I sounded flat, emotionless, and like I should work in advertising.

She seemed taken aback slightly, but she agreed, and relaxed slightly. "Why are you here alone?" She asked.

I smiled, but it probably came out as a cruel, twisted smirk. "I can burn her to ashes in a thought."

Alice blinked, surprised, then smiled slightly. "I'd like to see _that_. Come on, if we're to help, you can stay here, with us. We have a _lot_ of information about Victoria, but I don't really like rallying it out in the open." Then, in a _real_, Alice-like style, she grabbed my hand and began pulling me to the house. "What did you say your name was?" She asked, friendlier than she had been before.

I wasn't any friendlier. There was no way I was forgetting everything, even if I was long forgotten to her. "…I'm Mary. Mary Sparrow."

"Like _Captain Jack _Sparrow?" She laughed. I didn't reply. She smiled apologetically up at me, then looked at the family, who were retreating into the house again. "I'm sorry for being so rude, before. We don't take kindly to strangers, not now anyway. And the family… we're a little upset over a death at the moment. Not that it's any excuse…"

"And you don't like the Volturi much." I finished her list, even though she wouldn't have said that. She looked shocked, but not embarrassed, nor did she deny it. "It's okay, I don't either. But I'm bound…" I wouldn't have told her why anyway. "But not for long,"

"Yes, okay. You're right. We have reasons not to like them too." She looked at me again, _really_looked, and I was afraid she'd find Bella here. "So come meet the family." She started pulling me along again, but this time I broke free and walked beside her. Now, she really would have blushed in embarrassment. "Sorry, I'm… I get too carried away. You remind me of someone…" Her eyes sparkled again. "It would have been more normal to act like that with.. her."We kept walking to the house, where I could _hear_ the silence. It was too quiet, except for one noise, something I couldn't name. She opened the door, and ushered me inside. And then to the main room. I baulked. I couldn't see all of them. Seeing Alice had felt weird, I was thoughtful, but not really there. But now? How could I see them without hugging Esme and Carlisle, recoiling from Rosalie's glares, blushing at Emmett's jokes, eyeing Jasper warily, and hugging and kissing Edward till near death? Or just scowling and shouting at them all for deserting me? As Alice opened the living room door, I recognized the sound, when it was paired with the scent and the sight. They had a human. Or at least, a _half_-human. Grace Swan.

**AN: Cliffie? :P Review, & tell me what you think! I got _no_ reviews last chapter, but that's okay, cause I'm starting to hate this story anyway. I love the idea I have, but the way I've written it is baaaaaaaaaaad. Tell me what you think! - again! :P**

**Thanks, readers & those who've favourited me or this story :D Won't update for a while, got my exams. 1st one is tomorrow! O_O English! O_O**

**Rachee (: xxx**


	8. Chapter 8

Grace sat there on Edward's knee, tugging on his copper hair gently. She looked more like a three year old than a one year old. And of course, she didn't recognize me. None of them did. Which was for the best, I guess. Not that it didn't hurt to see them all look at me unknowingly. Alice introduced me to the rest of the family, and it hurt more to see their frowns deepen at the mention of the Volturi. She assured them that I wasn't _one of them_ in the sort of way they thought. Edward hardly looked at me, but the others, especially Grace, stared at me like a science experiment. And I stared back at her. I think Alice noticed me staring, and mistook it for curiosity about her originality. "So… how did you come to get Grace?" I ask, clearing my throat, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Well…" Alice smiles, and they all look at her fondly. Edward hugs her closer, almost protectively. "I don't know if you were with them by then, but the Volturi got her - we don't know how exactly – and due to the blood and the heartbeat, they couldn't keep her, so Aro got in contact, and…!" I stare at her wordlessly. I hadn't even considered that it would be the Cullens to adopt her. It was better than any stranger, I guess. And Edward was acting like her father. I tried not to get upset at that. How could I let them know? If they hate me, how could they want to keep with my daughter, if it meant staying connected with me? Would they think differently of her? I'd have to see.

"And as you can tell, it seems she has taken a shine to the family. Edward never leaves her side," Esme smiled proudly at them.

"Can you read her mind?" I blurt out, before thinking it through. I can't be blamed, though. Seeing them together like family is perfect, in the wrong way.

"How would you know about that?" He asks sharply, speaking for the first time.

"I-I.. Aro told me about your powers." _Good save_.

"No, I can't." He replies rudely. "I can't read yours, either." The first sign of emotion - other than anger – show up on his face. A sadness, the same, glassy eyed look Alice had earlier.

I had not thought of that. Would he have recognized me already, by my mental silence? Or something else, maybe it's obvious, and they're all bluffing. "It's my invisibility, my mind always appears invisible, unless I wish otherwise." Which _was_ partly true. They were different powers.

"She can think people to flames!" Alice smiles, as if boasting. It didn't get the reaction she expected, but it was the one _I_ expected. They all silenced, and I could feel tingles of the atmosphere on my spine. Distrust. Resentment. Fear. I didn't know if Jasper was projecting, or if I had just become quite intuitive. The room was still.

Suddenly, Grace struggles out of Edward's arms, slowly and timidly, like a mouse, and she totters toward me. I stare at her with wide eyes, threatening to fill with tears at any minute. Does she recognize me, accept me? "Grace," Jasper says, trying to take her back, but Rosalie stops him and watches, a slight smile on her face. Grace reaches out to me, expecting to be held. I oblige with shaky hands. I grab under her waiting arms and hoist her onto my knee. Instead of sitting there, she stands on them and looks into my face. I keep my hands around her for balance, but she reaches out to touch the bare skin of my cheek. It's like that first day again. The first connection. She knows who I am. Her voice resounds in my head, _Mom_. And then I don't hear anymore. I gasp, and hug her lovingly. Then, she's out of my arms. She's in Edward's arms, at the other side of the room, staring confusedly at me. I can feel my eyes filling, ready to overflow, but never do. It stings like mad. I can't vent my sadness. It's trapped in me.

"Edward," Esme chides. "It isn't the first time people have had a reaction like that to her. She's an angel, as you've said. Remember Rosalie? Mary here meant her no harm," _Who?_ Oh, me.

"I don't trust her, Esme. And I have no problem with saying that aloud, to her face." He growls. Then to me: "You get that? I don't trust you, and I would rather you didn't interfere with our family. We've went long enough without another vampire around, and-"

"Edward!" Esme gasps, looking embarrassed. Rosalie glares at _him_, while the rest stare at me apologetically.

But it's too late. My worry and sadness has turned to anger. "So now she's _your_ family?!" I yell, standing up and taking the _too-defensive_. I was going to carry on with "So where the hell were _you_ last year?" But when the family's heads whip in my direction, I mumble, "I thought you adopted her." Nobody answers me, and there is a long silence where everyone expects someone else to speak.

"I think us Cullens are all due to hunt," Carlisle mumbles, looking around the room at his family. They all nod slightly, not looking anywhere in particular, especially not near me.

"Mary, your bedroom will be the third on the left upstairs, we'll be back soon." Alice says quietly, slipping out of the room with the others. Edward is the last to leave, with Grace.

"She _hunts_ with you?!" I ask incredulously. Sure, I knew she drank blood – my blood – but I didn't think of her hunting, not this young. Edward doesn't answer, but instead leaves the room. When he leaves, Rosalie returns. I watch her stupidly, worried. Rosalie never liked me as a human, and now I'm someone else.

"I'm sorry," She smiles apologetically. Yes, she _smiles_ at me. "We're all a bit tense right now, if you understand. We have a psychotic vampire hell-bent on revenge for her dead lover, seeking out a 'dead' girl Edward loves," She laughs ironically, looking right at me, right through me. "We're going to her funeral tomorrow, if you'd like to come. I suppose she means something to you?"

I clear my throat, eyes wide. Rosalie knows. "How do you know?" I ask.

"Mary _Sparrow_? Marie Swan, perhaps?" She laughs, though it's not mocking or cruel now, it's almost _friendly_.

"What else do you know about me?" I whisper. Whatever she knows seems to have changed her opinion of me, will it change the others' too?

"I know you're scared." She smiles again. "You're afraid to tell anyone else, about how they'll react after going to your funeral, how Edward will feel about you, since he left you, and has an adopted daughter. You think he's not interested? The only thing that has stopped him killing himself was having the responsibility of looking after Grace. Then again, any one of us could've looked after her. That was last year, when he left you and we first got her. Now that you're 'dead'? I don't know if he'll cope."

I stop what I was about to say, shocked by what she's saying. But I don't know if I can trust her. "You say that Grace is _his _adopted daughter? Who decided that?" I ask suspiciously, either very angry - or pleased - with Aro, or very worried about what Edward knows.

"Oh, Aro did. He called Edward to go, and the rest of us went. It's just because Edward is alone, and because she looks most like him, what with the… Oh!" She gasps as she understands. "Bell- Mary, I really should get in the habit of calling you that, for now. _Mary_, tell me exactly how you got to be with the Volturi." She says solemnly, though a hint of a smile is on her face.

"They found out about Grace. They knew that I knew about... vampires, and they offered to help me with her… birth. When I awoke after she was born, they'd changed me. They found out that I wasn't yet thirsty, meaning it would be stronger when I was, so they sent me away to deal with Mom and Dad…" My eyes go watery, "And when I got back, she was gone. Aro had sent her to be adopted – by you, obviously – and he _then_ found out that my thirst and anger are channelled into my powers, rather than desperate hunger. I became his assassin, and now I have only two more jobs. Victoria, and then the Volturi. He used information about Grace to bait me, manipulate me to do his bidding, and it hasn't been forgotten." I say, as simply as I can. Rosalie has a shocked smile on her face. It takes her a moment, but eventually I think she's going to speak.

"I always thought she looked like you, in a way. And she recognizes you?"

"We have a strange Mother-Daughter bond, it was reconnected earlier. So yes, she does. She called me _Mom_." I give her a watery smile.

"Jasper said he felt something, but he wouldn't tell us anything. I think you'll have to have this conversation with Alice and Jasper again soon; there's nothing he won't tell her – in private. Then she'll be here, wanting answers. Though I doubt he could get your true identity from your feelings, unless you're _really_ projective." She sighs, and smoothes out the creases on her jeans. "So now you need to decide what to do?" She says it like a question.

"Nothing. You know, Alice and Jasper will know soon, and… I don't know. Nothing, _for now_." She scowls at me, like she's not happy with the idea, but says nothing else about it.

"…So _yes_, Mary. I don't want you antagonizing my family again. We've let you in, given you a room, and offered you help on your mission. Can't you be _thankful?!_" She yells suddenly. I'm startled, but she winks, just as the door opens and the family walk in. They stay silent, and Rosalie focuses all her attention on shouting at me. I don't listen, I only nod when I need to. Grace and Edward walk in last again; his eyes are trained on me instantly, widening as Grace walks toward me, then clambers up onto the sofa beside me. She doesn't need to touch me this time, I can hear her thoughts. She tells me all about her time without me, as though it was a holiday rather than separation. Edward is in nearly every memory. He's an amazing father. My shoulders shrug as my breathing hitches, and forgetting them all, forgetting everything but her thoughts, I bury my face into my hands and start dry sobbing. I can't believe I missed so much of her life _already_. It's only been a year, but she's seen and done so much. I can't believe that the family has become so strange; her real father thinks he's her adopted father, and everyone thinks me – her mother – to be a stranger.

I hear Jasper mumble "Maternal instincts," so I'm guessing they all looked to him for my strange behaviour. I stand up, holding Grace, and I place her gently in Edward's waiting arms. He gives me a cold, distant look, but I just smile sadly, and twine a strand of chocolate brown hair loosely around my finger, before letting go and walking away upstairs.

For the rest of the night, I lie on the bed in my room, and wonder. I think about everything that has happened tonight. What will happen, Grace, Edward, everyone. If she didn't know me, I would have thought it better to leave Grace with Edward, and burn to ashes with the rest of the Volturi. But she knows me, she _loves_ me. I can't let her go. And Edward? I honestly don't know. In the end, I start crying again, despairing over what to do.

Sometime later, Rosalie comes in for me. It's time to go to my funeral. How ironic. Nobody asks why I'm coming along, but I can feel that they're all thinking it. This is very personal to them – more personal to me, really – and I'm intruding on their mourning. I can still hardly believe Edward is upset about me 'dying'. It was shocking before, when Rosalie told me about his suicidal thoughts through the year. We all pile into Edward's Vanquish and Carlisle's Mercedes. I'm in the back, beside Grace, in her car seat beside Rosalie. Emmett is in the front beside Edward, and the others are in Carlisle's car. When we approach the church, it looks different from yesterday. Then I realize it, there are _lots_ of flowers. I stare wide eyed, and again, open my mouth before thinking: "I wonder how all these flowers got here since last night?" Not everyone at the service could've have brought a bouquet each, or even _two_ each, there are too many. Edward stiffens in his seat.

"Why were you here last night?" He asks angrily. _Tell him the truth, tell him the truth, the truth. Don't lie, Bella._

Of course, I swallow the truth, "I was passing through to evade the werewolves." Grace sighs sadly beside me. She knows that we are going to _my_ funeral, and she understands, to some level. She wants me to tell him the truth. Edward looks at us through the mirror, and his honey gold eyes harden and turn darker.

Suddenly, the car swerves to a stop. "Mary Sparrow, get out my car." He says, fighting hard to keep a calm voice. Rosalie's eyes widen, and her mouth forms a shocked 'O'.

"Edward-!" She starts, but he cuts her off.

"Rosalie, she isn't what she says she is. How can we know?! I can't read her mind, so we know nothing about her. She's messed with Grace's mind. She's messing with yours. She must be the first person you've both instantly trusted. It isn't natural. She comes here, with all these secrets. She's part of the Volturi, for goodness sake! She's coming to this funeral, for a girl she doesn't know! All right, she _needs clues_. What sort of hunter relies on word from humans to kill another? Why does she want to go to this funeral?! Seriously?! Get out the car." He snarls.

With a pleading look in her eye – a look I'd never have expected to see – Rosalie takes a deep breath to counteract the points in his rant. "Edward. I don't want to say this, but it's the only argument I have, and it's right. You can't read Grace's mind, and you trust her. You couldn't read _Bella's_ mind-" He blanches, and looks almost _grey_ skinned rather than alabaster. His hands tighten on the steering wheel, and there is a loud creek as the metal under leather and plastic moulds into a new shape. Rosalie played a rough card – "and you trusted her enough, well, let's not go into the things you trusted her enough to do…" The gearstick is gone with a crack, the steering wheel has a gap where he's split it. She's tearing him apart with guilt, "And don't you think it's possible that Grace _knows_ her? That _I_ know her? _Bella_ might have known her, _you don't know_, because you _left her_. And about _Mary's_ secrets, Edward? Don't _you_ have secrets? Or are _they_ free-for-all? Can I tell Mary? I suppose she knows... Just because she won't tell us things about her life, she's turning us against each other? Mary might want to go to this funeral to see people she once knew. Mary, stay in the car." She stops, but only for a second. Enough time for me to see the cunning glint in her eye. "No, actually, get _out_ the car, and take what is yours. You don't need to stand for his crap. Not after everything else."

There is a minute of tense silence. Rosalie is smiling sweetly at me, knowing she's put me in a position to be exposed. So I was wrong to trust her… sort of? She did help me sort things out, but not in the way I would've liked. This probably wasn't the best way to confess a delicate matter; on the way to my own funeral. Actually, I'd quite like to disappear. But I don't. It won't do me any good. I have to be brave. I look at Edward. He's got his head on the steering wheel, looking down at his knees. He thinks Rosalie meant handbag, or something. I swallow all my self-consciousness, my worries and fears, raise my head, and begin undoing Grace's seatbelts. In seconds, I'm up and out of the car, holding her in my arms confidently. Then, I continue to walk to the church.

Edward is in front of me in seconds. As scared as I am, I keep my head up high and stare straight at the pits that are in his eyes. Emmett is beside him, too. I wondered if Rosalie had told him anything, since he said nothing in the car, but I guess not. Then the rest of the family are there, too, leaping out of their cars, and joining sides, as it were. Alice and Jasper go to stand by Rosalie, beside me, and Carlisle and Esme stare at us in shock. Esme stares at Grace in my arms, and she puffs up. "The Volturi can't take her back, not after they wanted rid of her. She's a Cullen now," She says, going to stand by Edward. I wonder briefly what Carlisle will do, but I see it in his eyes; he can see the connection, Grace, Edward and I. He knows who I am. He inclines his head to me, without smiling, and he walks away, to the other funeral guests to try warding them away from the argument.

"What are you doing with Grace?" Edward asks, no longer trying to reel in his anger. It flows from him like a waterfall, threatening to engulf me, change me into a weak, frightened Bella Swan, make me hand over my daughter and run away. But it won't. I have to be strong to get what I want. What I need. I go for the lowest blow I can think of at the minute, not caring that I'm about to confess, not caring that it'll wound a suicidal vampire's already unstable emotions.

"Well, considering you're the one that gave me her in the first place?" I leave that to boil for a second, turning into a first-class bitch. But I don't care, not now. I lean toward Grace and gently rest my chin on her head. Quietly, I whisper, half to her, half to Edward and Esme, "No, she's not a Cullen, she's a Swan."

**AN: Okaaaay, cliffie? Idk :P I sorta read it detachedly... I wouldn't be a good editor - except spell check; grr! :P - so yes, again, feel free to tell me what you think, _honestly_. There is nothing I love more than a review that tells me what I've done wrong in the story, or chapter.. as long as you're not mean :P**

**Okay, I had my English exams today,, yes, _nice. NOT._ My writing exam, I'm certain I failed it. It was about freakin' gargoyles! The close reading, i did okay in... i think (yn). I know, I know. You don't give a damn. You want to hear about Twilight ;) Well, I'm a merchant of stories, & I shall deliverrrrrr!**

**Just, please. Please. Don't ask me about Gargoyles. It's not worth it. (:**

**Rachee (: xxx**


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